Push car railways were brought to Taiwan during Japanese rule and were in general service from 1895 to the late 1940s.

However, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications declined the proposals in January 2010 for budget issues and deeming it premature.

After World War II, these industries declined significantly and these railroads were remodeled as tourist attractions in the beginning of 21st century.

Wulai Scenic Train was originally tracks for rail push trolleys, now runs a light automotive for tourists.

The Taiwan High Speed Rail and all rapid transit systems use standard gauge track.

Because of Taiwan's extensive rail network (including many now defunct industrial narrow gauge lines which provided passenger service to rural areas), railways in Taiwan often have a romantic connotation, especially amongst the older generation who remember growing up when rail travel was the primary means of transportation between cities in simpler (and less prosperous) times.

This nostalgia has been capitalized upon in recent years through the introduction of various items such as “old-fashioned railway bento” (Chinese: 懷舊鐵路便當), claimed to be authentic copies of the box lunches that were once served aboard trains.

Jen and his fellow club members would work to publish what became the first issue of the popular long-running railfan publication Rail News in 1989.

[11] Some prominent railway enthusiasts in Taiwan include assistant professor Dr. Hung Chih-Wen [zh] of the National Taiwan Normal University and technical assistant professor Su Chao-Hsu [zh] of the National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism.